How to cook zucchini flowers with garlic

Garlic-Fried Zucchini Flowers

By: Chef Cristian Feher
www.tampabaychef.com




 The other day I found a little treasure at the local farmers market - a basket of zucchini flowers they had set aside. I jumped on it like (I can't think of a politically correct way to finish that sentence). Needless to say, I bought the whole basket. Zucchini flowers may be available where you live, but here in Tampa they are a rarity.

I got these home and thought they would make a good episode on my online food channel, The Hot Skillet, so we shot a video right away using these beautiful, fresh flowers. I didn't want to do the usual - battering them and deep-frying, or stuffing them. That's been done to death! But I thought that stir-frying them Chinese-style with garlic would make a great dish, and I was right! They turned out fantastic! 

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

• Zucchini flowers
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 6 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 1/4 cup of peanut oil (or Coconut Oil)
• 1/2 cup of chicken stock
• 1 1/2 tsp of corn starch
• 1 tsp of sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Wash and drain your zucchini flowers under cold water. Julienne (cut into thin strips) the carrot and peppers. Slice the garlic. Mix the sugar and corn starch well with luke-warm, or cold chicken stock (not hot).
2. Pre-heat a non-stick wok pan or large skillet and get it nice and hot.
3. Put oil in pan. When oil starts to smoke, add the garlic and fry for a few seconds. Keep the garlic moving so it doesn’t burn.
4. Add the vegetables. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add the chicken stock mixture, toss and stir until all vegetables are covered by the sauce and are glossy – about another 30 seconds to a minute.
6. Serve, sprinkle salt and pepper, and enjoy!